Solo in Barcelona

Before studying abroad, I knew a solo trip was mandatory for me. I’d spent my teenage years dreaming of the days where I would get to backpack Europe solo, so how could I not at least get a taste for it while already here? 

But where and when should I go? That was the question I’ve had since my first days here. At first, I tried researching the best cities for solo travellers and the safest cities to travel to as a female alone, but most of the results were places that I had either already been to or places I was already planning on going to with others. Luckily, the answer fell into my lap. I, of course, knew that I couldn’t study abroad in Spain without making a trip to Barcelona, the only major city in Spain that I had not yet been to, so it was on my list of need-to-go places. When I found a weekend for Barcelona that fit into my schedule but none of my friends were able to go with me, I decided to take the chance to go solo.

Despite my excitement for solo traveling when it was just a distant dream, I became increasingly more anxious as the weekend grew near (my parents sending me video after video about the dangers of being pickpocketed in Barcelona did not help). Would I be able to find my way around? Was my hostel in a safe area? What do I do if I do get pickpocketed like my parents have so thoroughly convinced me I will?

Although I knew these fears must be faced and that I would come out the other side having had a great time no matter what, I still took all the steps I could before leaving to alleviate my anxieties. I thoroughly researched the area of my hostel to make sure that it was in a safe location; I booked a female-only dorm room (which is definitely not necessary but if it’s your first time traveling solo and you’re already nervous, it doesn’t hurt to make the hostel feel like an even safer place); and I looked up strategies to not get pickpocketed in Barcelona.

When the time came to leave for the airport, it felt odd that there was nobody getting on the plane with me nor meeting me when I landed. My stomach remained filled with nerves but the excitement slowly grew as I thought of all the possibilities of what I could do in Barcelona. This was the first time I wouldn’t have to think about a single other person while traveling. I got to do exactly as I desired at every moment of the day. That was exciting.

The first thing that I did upon arrival was find my way towards my hostel (I could find my way around!) and drop my bags off since check-in wasn’t open for a few hours. I stayed at Yeah Hostel Barcelona and highly recommend it for any future readers looking to travel to Barcelona. I spent my first day wandering around from sight to sight. The Sagrada Familia, despite having seen it many times on social media, was even more astounding in person. I couldn’t believe that I was here seeing it by myself all by my own doing. It was an indescribable feeling. I then decided to take the long walk down to the beach, stopping at all the famous Gaudí locations on the way. I paused at a sandwich shop that my brother had highly recommended (Bo de B) and got a sandwich and papas bravas to bring with me to the beach, where I sat just above the sand looking out onto the water and enjoying my food. Magical.

There was a moment of stress mixed in there when everyone’s phones started blaring with an emergency storm alert. I had known there was supposed to be a storm but from the research I had done before, it wasn’t supposed to be too bad. According to this alert, however, it was supposed to be bad. I looked up the odds of my flight being cancelled the next day and Google was saying very high, which terrified me because I had a midterm in the morning the day after that I had to be back for. I frantically started looking up other ways to get home and found two options that would help me beat the storm before the emergency alert disappeared and the storm went back to looking manageable. While nothing ended up happening, it was good to know that I was capable of finding solutions in such stressful times and that I would have been able to handle myself.

That night, I also went to a sit down dinner place by myself for the first time. The food was delicious, the waiters were kind, and I got to read a great book while I ate in a cozy atmosphere. No complaints and would absolutely do it again.

The next day, I visited Park Güell on a chilly, rainy morning. The sights were incredible and I didn’t have to take any path that I didn’t want to. My exploration was entirely up to me. After a great morning there, I walked back down and got a sandwich at a cafe while deciding what to do next. Being a lover of all things sweet, the answer was obvious: a pastry crawl. I did some research finding the best and most popular pastries in Barcelona, mapped it out, and started on my way. It was a great way to see parts of the city that I had otherwise missed while keeping my hunger at bay with some delicious treats. And nobody was there to say they wanted to do something else. A pastry crawl is exactly what I wanted, and I got to do it.

Although my flight was delayed on my way home and I ended up having to pay taxi prices to get home because it was too late for public transportation, I arrived with a smile on my face. Not only did I come back having seen Barcelona, a must-see city, but I also came back knowing that my expectations were met and solo traveling really was as magical as it seemed, that I was capable of handling any and all situations that came my way, and that being alone really wasn’t so bad. In fact, sort of the opposite. It left room for so much freedom.

For any study abroad students reading this while preparing for abroad or while already abroad, TAKE THE SOLO TRIP. You will not regret it.